ELMIRA, N.Y. -- A year ago, Elmira College's Associate Vice President of Athletics, Renee Carlineo, announced that the Soaring Eagles would return to the mats for the first time since the 1970s with the re-introduction of men's wrestling. Two months later, former SUNY Cortland Red Dragon and Oswego State assistant coach, Ian Clark, was appointed the team's new head coach.

Originally from Evan Mills, New York - a small North Country village located just outside Fort Drum - Clark won a Section III Class A championship as a heavyweight at Indian River High School during his senior year. That season, he narrowly missed out on a berth in the state tournament as the Section III runner-up in the large school division. Clark went on to study at nearby Jefferson Community College, before finishing his collegiate career at SUNY Cortland, where he earned a degree in Business Economics in 2011.

No stranger to working with young programs, Clark's most recent coaching stint saw him play a valuable role in reviving the men's wrestling team at Division III Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio.

We sat down with Coach Clark for a Q & A session in this edition of our "Get to Know" feature series.

What made you fall in love with wrestling?
My oldest brother, Scott, saw a lot of success in all sports, even more in wrestling, so I wanted to compete with him.

What do you remember most about your time as a student-athlete?
Spending time on busses, in hotels, and at events with my best friends.

How did you get your start in coaching?
It started in high school. My senior year, we had a very young team and my coach kind of encouraged me to help some of the younger guys. I always enjoyed watching them win even more than winning myself.

What is your proudest moment as a coach?
Bringing an athlete back to the program at Oswego State and helping him to understand that he had the ability to be at the NCAA tournament; he qualified that season.

What stood out to you about Elmira College?
The location and campus. The Twin Tiers area has a great love for the sport, and I really loved the campus when I came here for the interview.

If you were not involved in coaching, what career would you have pursued instead?
I would be still working in the corporate supply chain world.

Favorite hobbies/pastimes outside of sports?
I really enjoy golfing and fishing.

Favorite professional sports teams?
Washington Football Team, New York Rangers, and Atlanta Braves.

If you could eat dinner with anyone famous – past or present – who would it be and why?
Cael Sanderson, the head wrestling coach at Penn State. He has had a historic run of success and has managed to keep a lot of their training philosophies shrouded in mystery, and I'd love to try to understand the way he thinks about all aspects of coaching.